Changing economic conditions in eastern Europe are boosting sales
and demand for vitamins and dietary supplements, offering major
opportunity for foreign entrants to the market and suppliers of
novel ingredients.
Danish supplement maker Dansk Droge is set to increase its share of
the Polish market with the acquisition last week of Poland-based
distributor Amis Medica.
Tough regulations on GM labelling look set to play a pivotal role
in the development of the European market for natural vitamin E,
writes Dominique Patton. Demand for the soybean-derived
product will be severely restricted by a lack...
The safety of a new glucosamine ingredient, being produced through
fermentation by Cargill, has been approved by an expert panel in
the UK, a major step towards its use in the European Union,
writes Dominique Patton.
European legislation on health claims could take a significant leap
forward under the new Dutch presidency of the European Union, which
appears to be aiming for the regulation to get its first reading in
the European parliament by...
The European Commission is putting pressure on the Italian
government to amend legislation that effectively prohibits the
marketing of energy drinks in Italy.
Canadian company Forbes Medi-Tech said yesterday that it had
received a positive opinion from European authorities for the
approval of its wood-derived cholesterol-lowering ingredient
Reducol.
An alliance of sports supplement makers has managed to stall the
launch of a new European regulation that is set to tightly regulate
foods and beverages marketed to sportspeople.
Energy and sports drinks continued their rapid rise up the soft
drinks rankings last year, driven by new product launches and an
increasing trend towards convenience and on-the-go consumption. But
while most of the growth has come...
The European food industry awaits as the European Commission
huddles together to assess possible changes to the current
nutrition labelling rules governing food products, reports
Lindsey Partos. Industry is concerned that amendments...
The seventh Vitafoods tradeshow upheld its reputation as Europe's
major trading arena in health ingredients but also brought into
focus the future impact of a wave of European regulation on the
functional foods and supplements...
On 1 May an historic moment marked the entry of ten countries and
75 million consumers into the European Union. Churchill's 'Iron
Curtain' has been consigned to the history books, heralding
democracy, stability and...
Food supplement makers and regulators from new EU member states are
being invited to a conference in Prague next month, designed to
help companies from accession states bring their products in line
with European legislation.
The campaign to protect the UK's supplement industry from the
impact of new EU regulations is getting new attention from
consumers and looks set to become the biggest issue to hit the
sector in years.
The European Commission this week granted approval for several new
foods with added phytosterols, set to significantly expand the
number of cholesterol-lowering foods available in Europe.
An energy drink marketed to boost mental performance has been
allowed to continue with its claims, after investigation of the
scientific evidence to back up the advertising statements,
writes Dominique Patton.
Levels of the hormone melatonin, shown in animals to protect
against the development of breast cancer, appear to have no
relationship with risk for the cancer in humans, reports a UK team,
failing to confirm previous results from...
Expecting a higher uptake of vegetable fats by European chocolate
manufacturers following the new '5 per cent' chocolate rule, Danish
oils and fats supplier Aarhus United sees a drop in income for
2003, compounded by currency...
Countdown to the integration of 10 new member states in Europe this
April begins under the aegis of the Irish presidency. For
manufacturers, a clear understanding of the marketplace in these
countries will be vital to pitching the...
The European court of justice yesterday removed barriers to the
sale of fortified foods and sports supplements in France and Italy,
ruling that the countries' demands for prior authorisation of
products is illegal under European...
The UK's supplement industry has won the right to challenge the
European Commission in the European court of justice over the
recent food supplements directive, which it claims is unlawful.
Finland's National Food Agency is to investigate the marketing of
infant formulae and draw up an action plan to ensure compliance
with regulations after feedback from consumers prompted concern.
A mineral formed in the waters of the world millions of years ago
could be the next new food supplement, as UK food watchdog sets out
to assess a new application it has received for market approval.
An emergency decree passed late last month by the Italian
government in a bid to save dairy giant Parmalat from collapse
looks set to win support from the European Commission on the back
of guarantees that there will be no state bail-out...
European companies and researchers should share the profits made on
products using exotic plants such as ginseng and green tea with the
countries of origin, urges a European Commission communication
issued on Friday.
New European legislation on pharmaceuticals could override the
recently adopted food supplements directive and impact the future
of the supplements industry, according to legal experts.
The movement of foodstuffs within the European boundaries will be
changed forever once the next step towards an enlarged Europe takes
place. Food and Life Sciences lawyer Raymond O’Rourke takes us
through a detailed look at some of...
In response to an increasing worldwide demand for pectin, Danish
ingredients company Danisco is to expand its Czech production
capacity by 40 per cent to accommodate an expected growth rate of
5-6 per cent on the world market.
Marketing of cholesterol-lowering foods looks set to become easier
with European bodies publishing favourable opinions on two plant
sterol manufacturers last week.
Speaking in Brussels earlier this week, European Commissioner for
Health and Consumer Protection David Byrne announced the latest
development on issues relating to food safety within an enlarged
EU.
Manufacturers of sports nutrition products have formed a new
alliance to better represent their trade in the face of a
forthcoming directive, set to tightly regulate foods and beverages
marketed to sportspeople.
MEPs last week voted through amendments to the traditional herbal
medicinal products directive (THMPD) that will prevent it from
regulating herbal products sold under food law.
The WHO is to reevaluate the safety of the herbal kava, taken to
relieve stress and anxiety, but currently subject to a ban in
several leading markets.
Ireland's food body this week opened a consultation process on its
website for the European Commission's recent proposed regulation on
fortified foods.
If traceability is at the heart of new food labelling rules in
Europe then the life blood keeping it beating must be risk
management. On the eve of the first ever risk assessment on
genetically modified organisms delivered by Europe's...
The European Commission this week gave the green light to
salatrims, a type of reduced-calorie fats, for use as novel food
ingredients following an application by ingredients giant Danisco.
The long-awaited approval opens the way...
In the wake of terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001
Europe's manufacturing industries have taken a knock but figures
released this week reveal that the food industry is managing the
course, registering a 'light...
Health food stores and kava suppliers are celebrating a recent
decision by the Welsh government to revoke legislation that banned
the herb in the UK last year.
Researchers at German fine chemicals firm BASF have produced
evidence to show that bioavailability of synthetic lycopene is
equal to that derived from natural sources such as tomatoes.
Holland Sweetener company, DSM's joint venture with Japan-based
company Tosoh has finally launched its high intensity sweetener
Twinsweet on to the European market after years of waiting for
approval from Brussels.
The European Commission yesterday published a proposal for
regulation of the addition of vitamins, minerals and other
substances to foods, designed to allow free trade of fortified
foods in the European community.
The European Commission is supporting a campaign run by the
International Diabetes Federation to encourage the prevention of
diabetes, through healthier diets.
US fatty acids manufacturer Martek Biosciences is to distribute its
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to European dietary supplement makers
through an agreement with Dutch firm Vegetable Seed Oil Products
(VSP).
The campaign against the new EU food supplements directive is
gathering pace as the Alliance for Natural Health announces it will
also take legal proceedings to see the directive declared invalid
under European law.
